Commitment and Relatedness: How College Students Use Religious Coping to Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is a common symptom among college counseling clients. Perhaps because of the unique developmental tasks they face, many later adolescents (ages 18-24 years) use religious coping to manage anxiety. Many counselors are uncertain about how to address religious themes in therapy, if at all. However, most clients of faith do not want counselors to ignore their religious beliefs. In fact, later adolescents may use faith-based coping mechanisms to navigate the challenges of their developmental stage.